Life In Court
by RedHal
Summary: Just a little one-shot that takes place at the end of "The Horse and His Boy".  Set in the universe of "Princess of Narnia".


Disclaimer: I own nothing except Holly in this story

Summary: This is just a quick little (okay, not so little) one-shot of what life was like in Narnia for Holly as the High Queen of Narnia, wife of the High King and sister-in-law to King Edmund and Queens Susan and Lucy. Takes place at the end of _The Horse and His Boy _and covers the small war.

A/N: I was in a Narnia mood today so I decided to go on and post this before I finish "Margaret's Voyage" as I finally saw the new movie last night.

**Life in Court**

Queen Holly, wife of the High King Peter, woke up to the sun rising over the ocean. She sat up in bed and stretched before turning to the empty spot in the bed next to her and sighed.

It had been two weeks since her husband had gone off to fight the giants to the North. She had wanted to come and had even tried to tag along using her magical bracelet that could change her clothing in a flash. However, ever since the Battle of Beruna, Peter knew how to pick her out in the army.

And if that wasn't lonely enough, two of her in-laws were in Calormen leaving her alone with her other sister-in-law in the castle. Luckily, Holly was rather fond of the younger queen.

Holly got up from her bed and walked to the window over the open ocean. There was something vaguely familiar about the waves lapping over the sand on the coast, but the queen couldn't, for the life of her, put her finger on it as she was starting to forget her life before Narnia.

(A/N: Remember how at the end of _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ Lucy only remembered 'Spare Oom' and how they felt the lamppost was a dream? That's what was happening)

But she didn't care. She was happy.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Enter" Holly called as she tightened the robe over her slim body.

The door opened to reveal a familiar face.

"Good morning Holly" the younger woman greeted

"Good morning Lucy" Holly greeted her youngest sister-in-law. "Any news from the North or South?"

"None from the North, but from the South, trouble brews. You know how Rabadash can be"

"Yes" Holly confirmed with a shiver as she recalled the one time she had met the prince. It had not ended pleasantly as the prince couldn't get it through his thick skull that she was taken already as he had flirted shamelessly with her until Peter intervened by calling her 'his royal wife'

"Well, our sister refuses to marry him and our brother believes that Rabadash may FORCE her into marriage."

"And is the presence of the Archenland Prince, Prince Corin, not enough to stop him? Between King Lune's army and the back-up army of Narnia while my husband is away, led by our brother King Edmund, tis enough to make the Tisroc quake with fear. Plus there's the chance my husband, your brother, may return in time."

"I'm only repeating what the Raven told me" Lucy told her. "I believe that we can stop a raid on Cair Paravel"

"In Aslan's name, I pray that there won't be a war" Holly prayed

0000

An hour later,

Holly went down to the court yard. It was a BEAUTIFUL day in Narnia.

The redhead smiled at the sight of her younger sister-in-law reaching up to pick an apple from the courtyard orchard. Unfortunately, the branch was a bit too high for the youngest queen of Narnia.

"Need a bit of help Lu?" Holly called after catching Lucy do a few unlady-like jumps.

Lucy turned quickly.

"Just a bit." Lucy admitted

Holly walked up to the branch and reached up.

"Of course the ripest are at the hard-to-reach branches" Holly muttered.

"I have an idea." Lucy said "Cup your hands and give me a boost."

"Would it not be easier to ask one of the sentry?" Holly asked

"They need to focus" Lucy said.

Holly cupped her hands and gave her sister-in-law a boost. Lucy grabbed a hold of the branch to steady herself.

"A little to the left" Lucy instructed

Holly shifted a bit to the left and Lucy grabbed hold of two ripe apples

"YOUR MAJESTIES!" a voice called out

"AGH!" the girls exclaimed in shock as they tumbled to the ground knocking the branch a bit sending more apples down. Lucy landed a bit on Holly and the queens laughed after Lucy showed Holly the two apples she was targeting.

The centaur sentry who had called out to them just smiled. Queen Lucy had a way of making all of the other royals, and the others of Cair Paravel, feel twice as young despite the fact that the youngest queen could act more of an adult than her brother, the High King. It just depended on the situation.

"What is it my old friend?" Holly asked kindly as she stood up and took the offered apple, but refrained from biting into it.

"Your royal brother and sister are arriving. I saw the sail of the _Splendor Hyaline_ over the horizon" the centaur informed the queens.

"Thank you" Holly said. "You may go inform the rest of Cair Paravel"

The centaur bowed and went to go do as he was told

"Praise Aslan, they're safe" Holly whispered

"Shall we go meet them?" Lucy asked

"But of course" Holly said before taking a bite of the apple.

The two queens went to the stable and left Orion in charge of guarding the castle as Oreius was with Peter and Orion was Oreius right hand centaur.

Of course, the two queens didn't go unescorted as they had a team of fauns and some younger centaurs.

The ship then docked into the harbor and from it emerged King Edmund, Queen Susan, and the young Prince Corin of the Archenland.

"Welcome home" Holly greeted "I trust the voyage home was well?"

"Yes Dear sister" Susan said taking Holly's hands. "I just wish the destination was as enjoyable as the trip home"

"Was it that horrible?" Lucy asked

"Do you recall how he was when he was at Cair Paravel?" Edmund asked "Well, in his own country, he is a most proud, bloody, cruel, self-pleasing tyrant"

"I feared as much" Holly said. "I sensed he was putting on a façade when he was here and wooed me for about two minutes before I managed to inform him that I was the High King's wife. I just didn't realize how much of a mask he had placed over himself."

"What was it you believed?" Edmund asked

"That he was a spoiled rich boy" Holly said revealing a bit of the American in her before reverting back to her Narnian identity. "But a tyrant I never would have guessed"

"Well, I had a good time" Corin said

Holly smiled at the young visiting Prince.

"You did?" Holly asked

"YOUR MAJESTIES!"

Everyone turned and saw a stag gallop towards them.

"Faithful Chervy" Holly greeted the almost out of breath creature. "You look as if you have ran for miles without rest or drink."

"I have your grace" the stag told her. "I bring you terrible news. Two hundred Calormenes under Prince Rabadash are on their way to Anvard"

"Oh my!" Lucy gasped

"Is King Lune aware of this?" Susan asked

"I believe so your majesty" the Stag said

"My dear brother" Lucy told Edmund. "We MUST help our friend King Lune"

Edmund turned to Holly who nodded in agreement.

"Very well" Edmund said. "We go to Cair Paravel now and get the army prepared and rested. Tonight, we leave for Archenland to help King Lune."

0000

Later that evening,

"Holly," Edmund tried to reason.

"Don't try to stop me Ed" Holly said after emerging with chain mail under her dress. "I promised Peter I would protect Lucy while he was away and by the Lion's mane, I intend to do just that as she's riding into battle with you."

"Just…be careful. And try not to fight Rabadash" Edmund compromised.

"Very well" Holly agreed as she gently fingered her bracelet preparing

Edmund walked onto the balcony over the courtyard where the army was standing. Holly, Susan, and Lucy followed him out with Prince Corin.

The King then turned to the High Queen.

"Do you want to address the troops or should I?"

"I'll do it!" Corin volunteered.

"Absolutely not" Holly told the prince knowing that the energetic pre-teen would no doubt say something offensive. She then turned to her brother-in-law "By all means King Edmund, you do it as you have seen the enemy whereas I have only seen their leader under a mask"

Edmund nodded and walked to the edge.

"NARNIANS!" he yelled gaining their attention

The courtyard went silent.

"Our friend King Lune is to be under siege by two hundred Calormenes. No doubt this is Prince Rabadash's first step in his quest to take our beloved Queen Susan from us!"

The response was one that did Holly proud as the Narnians shouted their loyalty to Narnia and its rulers and/or shouted their hatred towards Calorman or more specifically, Rabadash.

"I say they're with us" Edmund told Holly before motioning her to take over and that they'd share the pep-talk

Holly smiled and stepped forward. She held out her hand for silence which came.

"Shall we go assist our dear friend King Lune?" she asked "And show Calormen that when he messes with Archenland, he messes with Narnia?"

The answer was a roaring cheer

"THEN WE MARCH TO ANVARD!" she called out

As another cheer went up, Holly backed from the balcony with a frown.

"I just hope that we get there in time" Holly whispered

"You will" Susan said with a smile as she placed a hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder. "Take my bow and arrows with you. They never miss what you aim for."

"But what of you?" Holly asked

"I shall stay here and wait for the High King, my brother, your husband, to return should he return in time. If you are not back before, I shall send him to Anvard to assist you."

"I won't let Rabadash take you from us" Holly promised

"May Aslan be with you" Susan wished her siblings luck

0000

On the trip South,

Holly rode between Edmund at his right and Prince Corin so she could listen to Corin's tale of his trip. It seemed that Corin's favorite part of the entire trip was finding a doppelganger as when he had been fighting to defend Susan's honor, Edmund had found a look-alike he mistook for the real prince. When Corin had snuck back into the rooms, he had seen a boy who looked EXACTLY like him, except the stranger had been in rags.

"I wonder…" Holly whispered to herself having been told by Corin's late mother 3 years ago that Corin had been a twin, but the other boy had been kidnapped and was more than likely dead.

However, Holly kept her mouth shut so not to raise hope for according to what Queen Selene said, Prince Cor had been destined to save Archenland

After a few hours, the war party stopped at the cottage of some dwarfs who were watching the parade.

"Now, friends!" Edmund called. "Time for a halt and a morsel!"

The humans got off their horses and started taking a bit of food out to keep their strength up for they were almost at the boarder.

Suddenly, Corin ran up to one of the viewers and took the other boy by his hands looking as if he had just been told that Christmas had come early this year and Peter had agreed to go on and make him a night.

"What! _You_ here! So you got through all right? I _am_ glad…." Corin told his friends

Holly, Edmund, and Lucy exchanged looks and then walked up to the two identical boys.

"Who is your Highness's friend?" Edmund asked

"Don't you see, Sire?" Corin asked "It's my double: The boy you mistook me for at Tashbaan"

"Why, so he is your double." Lucy gasped. "As like as two twins. This is a marvelous thing."

Holly just bit her lip to keep silent as Queen Selene had told her about Cor in strict confidence as Lune had Peter. She was just glad that her late friend's son was alive as the poor confused boy was apologizing to Edmund about something that happened in the capital of Calormen.

"Oh!" Holly gasped as she recalled something she had meant to do. "Thornbut!"

"Yes your majesty?" the dwarf said

"See to it that Corin doesn't go into battle. Should he be killed, I wouldn't be able to face King Lune" Holly said

However, Corin didn't take too lightly to it and ended up getting Thornbut to sprain his ankle.

And of course, Peter had told Lucy not to bring her cordial commonly to the wars.

"See what your Highness has done," Edmund lectured Corin "Deprived us of a proved warri…"

"I'LL Handle this Ed" Holly said walking over to the prince and grabbed his ear. "I told Thornbut to make sure you stay out of battle for a REASON young man. How could we explain to your father should you get injured or killed in battle?"

"You're Highness?" a centaur called to Holly

"Coming!" Holly said before turning to Corin. "We are not finished with this lecture young man. I may not be your mother, but I promised her on her death bed that I would treat you as my own and, by the Lion, I will"

0000

When the time of battle drew near at hand, Holly pulled out her bracelet after excusing herself and transformed herself into the mysterious knight. As only her husband knew of it, she could safely aid her brother-in-law in the main fight.

"Oh good. You're here" Edmund said causing Holly to jump a bit and turned. Luckily, Edmund had not caught that it was she who was the knight. "You know what's going on?"

Holly nodded

"Right. You can't speak" Edmund recalled "Signal me when you think it's a good time to strike"

Holly nodded again and the Narnian troop got into battle position. Once the arrangement was in place with the talking beasts to the left, the giants to the right, and the archers in the rear, Edmund turned to Holly as if asking for approval as the Knight was one of Peter's top knights.

Holly gave Edmund a thumbs up

A faint thud-thud-thud was heard from the castle and the leaders looked.

A bunch of Calormene were using a battering ram to knock down the gates.

Holly waited a few minutes before drawing her sword and twisting her wrist a bit to make it flash giving Edmund the signal. Edmund gave the trumpeter the signal and he blew the horn which was followed by the warcries of the Narnians.

The Narnian army ran down to the gates and did battle. However, Holly, having grown up a great deal, decided to let Edmund take on Rabadash. She stayed with the main party.

"You're kidding me" she groaned quietly after knocking out a Calormene only to see Corin kill one.

After a while, she noticed Edmund fighting Rabadash at that top of the castle close to the edge. Rabadash then looked down and shouted "The bolt of Tash falls from above!"

Remembering seeing a giant tear a hole in Rabadash's shirt, Holly got and idea and pulled out Susan's bow. Before the prince could jump, she shot an arrow into the wall.

Rabadash jumped, but his torn shirt snagged on the embedded arrow making him look utterly ridiculous as he hung suspended in the air

"Let me down, Edmund!" Rabadash yelled "Let me down and fight me like a king and a man; or if you are too great a coward to do that, kill me at once!"

Holly ran to an alley and transformed back into the High Queen. She re-emerged as herself to find King Lune stopping Edmund from doing as Rabadash was challenging.

"King Lune is correct." Holly said as she stepped forward and turned to the prince that had once flirted with her. "You have attacked an innocent neighbor for your own selfish gain. If anyone is the coward, Prince Rabadash of Calormen, it's you."

"Take him down, bind him, and carry him within till our pleasure is further known" Lune instructed

"Here he is Father!" Corin announced as he ran up to his father dragging his double

"Aye, and here _thou _art at last" Lune lectured. "And hast been in battle, clean contrary to your obedience. A boy to break a father's heart."

"Lune" Holly sighed. "Don't bother lecturing the boy when your eyes CLEARLY show your pride"

"After all," Lord Darrin, one of the nobles of Archenland and Corin's guardian when he's in Narnia or Calormen, added "His Highness would not be your son if he did not inherit your condition. It would grieve your Majesty more if he had to be reproved for the opposite fault"

"Well, we'll pass it over this time" Lune grumbled before looking Corin's double over.

Then, with a smile, Lune hugged the boy who had warned everyone of the attack indicating to Holly that this boy was indeed the long lost Prince Cor.

"Stand together boys, and let all the court see you. Hold up your heads. Now, gentlemen, look on them both. Has any man any doubts?"

"They are the splitting images of each other" Lucy whispered to Holly as the Archenlanders cheered

"Because that boy is Prince Cor." Holly explained. "Corin's long lost twin. Queen Selene told me of him before her death and swore me to secrecy unless he should ever turn up. Ever since I laid eyes on the boy, I prayed it was him for Lune's sake. Plus I think a brother would do Corin some good, don't you agree?"

"I do"

0000

Later that afternoon,

Holly and Lucy were preparing a room for Cor's friend and travel companion, Aravis.

"How do you think Peter will take this when he hears what he missed?" Lucy asked Holly.

"I'm more interested in how our dear sister Susan will learn that she missed the return of Prince Cor and the introduction of his lady friend." Holly said

"Your majesties." A faun said as he entered with a bow. "Prince Cor and the Lady Aravis have arrived."

"Let us go and visit" Holly said motioning for the door

Lucy nodded and the two queens walked out to greet the young Calormen girl.

After lunch,

The Narnians and the Archenlanders were enjoying themselves until King Lune reminded them of one more thing that had to be dealt with.

"We have still that sorry creature Rabadash on our hands, my friends, and must needs resolve what to do with him."

"Your Majesty would have a perfect right to strike off his head." Peridan, a Narnian Lord, suggested "Such an assault as he made puts him on the level with assassins."

"But even a traitor may mend." Edmund argued. "I have known one who did"

"Besides," Holly added. "To kill Rabadash would make the tension between us and the Tirsroc of Calormen grow worse and I don't wish to create a larger war while my husband, the High King of Narnia, is away to the North."

"A fig for the Tisroc. His strength is in numbers and numbers will never cross the desert. But I have no stomach to kill men in cold blood."

"This would have been so much easier if he died in battle" Holly sighed

"By my counsel, your Majesty shall give him another trial." Lucy suggested to Lune. "Let him go free on strait promise of fair dealing in the future."

0000

A week later,

Holly woke up in her room like usual to get the routine day started. She got herself dressed and went downstairs to work on the Matters of State which was her job when her husband was away.

When she got to the study, she found Edmund doing her chore.

"My dear brother" she asked "What are you doing?'

Edmund looked up and smirked at his sister-in-law.

"Well sister," he told her as if talking to a child "I am doing matters of State"

"I realized that. The question behind my question was that I though we agreed that while my husband is away, I was to handle this. After all, you suggested it"

"I know that. But some business for the High Queen demands that you appear in the orchard as soon as you awaken."

"Very well. Thank you for helping Edmund" Holly said

She walked out to the orchard and looked around for whatever business might be awaiting her.

"Hello?" she called out as she walked through the trees. "I apologize for keeping you waiting. I have only just received word that I was needed for some business."

Suddenly, she heard a thud behind her as if someone was jumping down from a tree. Before she could turn to see who was sneaking up behind the High Queen, a pair of strong hands covered her eyes.

"Guess who" a familiar male voice came

Holly smiled with excitement as she knew that voice.

"King Peter the Magnificent, High King of Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion"

"You forgot my favorite title" he told her as he released her eyes and allowed her to turn.

"My husband" she added as she looked him over. "I see you've returned home no worse for wear. How was battle?"

"The giants of the North won't be bothering us for a while. How were things while I was away?"

"Didn't Edmund tell you?" she asked

"Our brother was more interested in the battle I fought. Though Orieus did question where our mysterious knight who helped in the Battle of Beaurea was"

"Our Golden Knight had been helping King Edmund stop an attack led by Prince Rabadash on our friend King Lune." Holly told him

"What?" Peter gasped. "Tell more. Do I need to have a stern word with the Tisroc?"

"Nay, my dear" Holly told him "When our royal brother and sister Susan went to Tashbaan, it appeared that Prince Rabadash is a tyrant bent on getting his way. As he wouldn't have Susan by choice, he was willing to do what was necessary to have her by force. I learned from a new friend that the plan was to capture Anvard and then ride to Cair Paravel to receive Queen Susan and force her into the bonds of matrimony as she did not feel for Rabadash what I felt for you"

"Then how is it that you came to know of the attack? And what of our friend King Lune?" Peter asked

"Do you recall King Lune and Queen Selene telling us of the loss of Prince Corin's twin brother?" Holly asked. "How the Prince Cor would save his kingdom from certain doom?"

"Yes?" Peter said wondering what that had to do with anything.

"Prince Cor lives and has been reunited with his father. He was found in Calormen by a fisherman who raised him as something between a son and a slave. When the boy was about to be sold into slavery, he met up with a talking horse of our land who had been captured as a foe and they fled north. On their journey, they met up with a young Tarkheena and her talking horse-friend as she escaped the forced bonds of matrimony to a man she could not love. It is she who overheard Prince Rabidash's plot. When they arrived here, she had been wounded as justice for something that she had done at her escape. Cor ran on foot to find King Lune and warned him to lock up the castle until help could arrive. He then informed Chervy of the attack and the stag then ran to tell us. We marched south that night and did battle the next afternoon."

"And the battle figures?" Peter asked hoping that none of his subjects were killed.

"We took Rabidash by surprise" she confirmed with a smile. "He was expecting an easy take over for both castles and to be ready to take our royal brother by surprise. The only injury was young Cor and even his injury wasn't severe and that was only caused by lack of experience. Cor has been reunited with his father and brother and has been told of his true history. His friend, Aravis, has also moved into Anvard"

"I look forward to meeting the lad and the lady" Peter said relieved but then frowned. "And what of Rabidash?"

"Let us say that we can make a REALLY bad joke out of this" she said with a giggle.

"Do tell" Peter said, interest peaked.

"In the words of Prince Corin: 'Prince Rabidash…gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'made an ass of himself'" she said repeating what Corin had told her in private

"I don't understand" Peter said

Holly turned to her husband and took his hands.

"We offered him freedom under the condition he never bothers us again after we took him prisoner" she explained. "But he refused. In fact, he made these really ugly faces."

She then took a deep breath and added,

"Even Aslan tried to make him see the light"

"Aslan was there?" Peter asked looking a mix of stunned and relieved

"Yes. But when Rabadash declared he wouldn't stop until he had our royal sister…he turned into a donkey"

Peter blinked as the news sunk in. Then he groaned much to Holly's amusement

"Leave it to Corin to make such a bad joke" he sighed.

"The transformation isn't permanent…for now" Holly explained Aslan's punishment. "As Rabadash had appealed to Tash, he was to go, in donkey form, to the Temple of Tash during the Autumn Feast and there he will turn back into his human shape. Of course, that means everyone would know he was once a donkey, but that's justice for you. However, there is a catch. If Rabadash goes more than 10 miles from the temple, he'll be reverted back into his donkey form and then it shall be permanent."

"Sounds fair" Peter said. "At least our royal family is safe"

"As is that of our friend Lune. And Corin is so happy his brother is back as now he shall forever be a prince. Though it is taking Cor a while to get used to the royal life."

"He'll make it. We did" Peter reminded her as he tucked some of her hair behind her ear "I'm glad you are safe"

"And I am glad that you got home in one piece. Tell me. How bad were the casualties up north?"

"Not as bad as they could have been, but worse than your numbers. But then again, the giants were ready for us. Rabadash was taken by surprise" Peter said before reaching up and picked two apples from the tree as he was now a foot taller than his wife. He then offered her one which she accepted with a blush

"Why the blush, my dear?" he asked

"Lucy and I had a bit of an excursion apple picking before our royal brother and sister returned from their trip south" Holly informed him. "We were acting more the girls we were before the coronation"

"It just shows you're not hard hearted like a few rulers I can name" Peter said with a shrug before taking a bite of his apple as he sat under the tree.

Holly smiled and joined him as she leaned on his shoulder

"Have you seen your siblings yet?"

"I spoke a bit with our brother, but our sisters I haven't seen yet." Peter said. "I'm sure by now they know I'm back, but I've given the rest of the army instructions that we are to be left alone for the day. It's been three weeks"

"Sounds like a plan" she said. "Though I do think you should at least say 'hello'. They've missed you as much as I did"

"I will…later" he said before kissing her

Holly wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to kiss her

0000

Meanwhile,

"Ah. My royal brother" Lucy greeted when she found Edmund. "Why are you doing the High Queen's duties?"

"Because the High King gave me specific instructions that he and the High Queen are to be left alone to discuss what all he's missed over the past three weeks." Edmund answered as Susan walked in

"Peter is home?" Susan asked

"Yes and will come greet us when he's back from spending time with his wife." Edmund said

A couple of hours later in the library,

Edmund and Susan were playing chess while Lucy read when the door to the library opened to reveal Holly and another familiar face

"PETER!" Lucy exclaimed excitedly as she ran to embrace her eldest brother.

"Hello Lu" Peter greeted as he ended up twirling her due to the force of her embrace so he wouldn't be knocked over. He then turned to Susan and Edmund. "I heard you two had quite the time in Calormen"

"Nothing we couldn't handle" Edmund said "And Rabadash got what was coming to him"

"Thanks to Aslan" Susan said having been told the story looking VERY relieved between the fact that Peter was home safe and that Rabadash wouldn't be bothering them again.

"Yes. Thanks to Aslan" Peter agreed as he was CERTAIN Aslan had helped out in his own battles to the North. "Anyways, I was thinking that the five of us could go for a ride. Just to survey the lands and make sure that all of Narnia knows that everyone is safe and all is well"

"Sounds brilliant" Holly said

"I'll go get Phillip" Edmund said

The royal family left for the stables so they could ride about their kingdom which they would rule for eight more years.

The End

A/N: If it seems as if the Penvencies (Including Holly) go back and forth from Narnian speech to their old way of talking, it's because Narnia's still tightening its grip on them and they've been going back and forth between the two.


End file.
